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[theducks]

Here's an interesting article that postulates that .999 recurring = 1.

For those of you on my friends list who don't have a PhD in Mathematics, and the one of you who does but in an unrelated field.. the ideal is that since 1/3 = .333 recurring, and 2/3 = .666 recurring, and .333 + .666 = .999 and 1/3 + 2/3 = 3/3 = 1, .999 and 1 are the same number. The proof is further suggested by the fact that if .999 is less than 1, how much less? an infinate number of 0's, followed by a single one? :)

It's a cute read. For many purposes, .999 does equal one, but in other terms, it's like saying π = 4

Comments

[alias_sqbr]

I remember being quite vocal about the fact that 0.9 recurring was not equal to one in primary school, then being kind of convinced they're the same in highschool, then learning proper calculus etc at uni and going "FINE, they are the same". For the reasons Oliver and Tom said :)